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3 sheets-sheet 1. J. ATKINSON.

OPERATING TABLE. 1

Patented May 12, 1891.

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2. .ab ou e h s s t e e h s 3 .n Nm NA T NG IN Km T AM .w J0 du d o M 0 m No. 452,331. Patented May 12, 1891.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet J. ATKINSON. -Y

OPERATING TABLE. No. 452,331. Patented May 12,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH ATKINSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VALTER B. DORSETT, OF SAME PLACE.

OPERATING-Mens.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,831, dated May 12, 1891.

Application tiled October I5, 1890. Serial No. 368,245. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ATKINSON, of St.-Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Operating -Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The leading feature of the present improved table is its adjustable top, whereby either a iiat support or a sunken one. as may be desired, can be obtained. An additional feature is the means for draining the table, all substantially as is hereinafter described and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, making part of this speciication, in Which- Figure lis a side elevation of the improved table; Fig. 2, a plan of the same,a port-ion of the tabletop being removed to exhibit the construction beneath; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-v section cn the line 3 3 of Fig. l; and Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section on the line a 4 of Fig. l, but showing only the mechanism for raising and lowering the table-top support.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The table-top is made in sections A A.

They are adapted to jointly form a substantially continuous support for the patient, and they are contrived so that such support may be a flat one or a depressed one-that is, the table-top, whenever desired, may be adjustable to form a trough-like support. The depression referred to is preferably arranged midway between the sides of the table, and

it extends Jthroughout the length of the tabletop. This result is attained in the following manner: The sections AA at or toward their side edges a a, respectively,are hinged to the frame-work B of the table, permitting them to be turned upward and downward, as indicated by their positions shown, respectively, in the full and broken lines in Fig. 3. A desi rable framework is shown. Itis composed mainly of the legs b b, the side bars b b2, and the end bars b3 b4, all of which maybe of tubing united after the manner of steam-litting; but any other suitable frame-work will answer. The sections AA at their inner edges o. a do not quite meet when they are upturned,and when they are turned down they do not meet. In this way an opening a2 in the table-top is provided for drainage purposes. The sections can be raised and lowered as described and supported in either position in various ways. That I consider a desirable means for this purpose is a vertically-adjustable support C. This last-named part is arranged beneath the table-top, and the free edges of the table-top sections are supported on it, and by raising and lowering this support the sections are raised and lowered, as described. The movement of the support is a vertical one; but the sections draw apart as they drop, and the connection between the sectionsand their support is such as to permit of their movement. The support C extends well throughout the length of the table to properly uphold the table-top. The sections A A in the present instance are connected with the support C by means of the clips a3, which in the movement of the support slip upon its top bars c. The support C, which is preferably of an openwork nature and composed, say, of tubing jointed together in the manner similar to the frame-work B, is made vertically adjustable, preferably in the following manner: The top bars c of the support are attached to its uprights c c', which are held and are adapted to be moved vertically in guides D D, and beneath the guides are attached to the horizontal bars c2 c2 of the support. These last-named bars ride upon the rock-shafts E E, which are arranged transversely in the table and respectively toward the ends thereof. These rock-shafts are journaled in the frame-work at e e, and at one end thereof are provided with arms c c', which extend upward, and at the upper end thereof are jointed together by means of a .horizontally-arranged connectingrod F, by which means the rocl-shafts work in combination and rise and fall together.

The rock-shafts are operated as follows: G represents a shaft journaled in bearings g g in the frame-work and provided at one end with an arm g and at the other end thereof with an arm g2. This last-named arm is slotted at g3 to effect an engagement with a pin g4 upon the rod F. By turning the arm g downward, as indicated by the broken lines roo' in Fig. l, the shaft is rotated, and, owing to the connection of the shalt with thc rod l", the rock-shafts E E are turned in their bearings, and the bars c2 c2 of the rock-shafts, upon which the support O immediately rests, are raised and lowered, as indicated by their positions, shown, respectively, by the full and broken lines in Fig. l. The described movement of the table-top support. can be limited in various ways. In the present instance the downward movement. is arrested by reason ot the shoulders eS ci of the supportencountering the guidesD D, and in its up position the support is steadied by means of an extension f of the rod F encountering a fixed part of the frame-work B, substantially as is indicated by the broken lines in Fig. l. The guides D D are attached to the upper end bars lf of the frame-work.

H represents a gutter extending longitudinally in the machine beneath the opening a2 in the table-top. It is preferably adjustable longitudinally in the table, and it is suitably inclined, and it can be adapted to discharge its contents in any suitable manner-as, for instance, into a tube 71, which in turn may lead to a vessel 7L', supported, if desirable, upon a shelf l, which is preferably in the form of a rack supported upon the legs of the table. The gutter is conveniently supported in position by means of the bars 71.2, which in turn are attached to the end bars Z1 of the frame-work, and the gutter can be slipped endwise upon its support. The table-top can be inclined, as shown in Fig. l, or it can be level, as indicated by the broken lines, same figure, in which case the rock-shafts and other connecting parts are suitably shaped to cause the table-top to be held level. The construction is rendered more complete by means of the foot-rests J J and the handles K K. Both the handles and the foot-rests can be closed into the table to be out of the way when not needed. The top sections A A can not only be adjusted, as described, but also can be turned upon their hinges a* directly upward and outward to enable them to be readily cleaned. The clips aS are suitably constructed to permit of this movement.

The top sections can be made of glass,mar

ble, wood, or any material suitable `or surv gical purposes.

l claim* l. ln an operating-table,tl1e combination of the vertically-adjustable top sections with a vertically-adjustable support for said sections, said top section being hinged, respectively, at the sides of said table, to enable, by lowering the inner free edges of said top sections, a depression to be formed which is lower than the level of the top of said table-sides, and said support sustaining said top sections at or toward said inner edges thereof, substantially as described.

2. An operating-table whosetop is com posed of adjustable sections, said sections being hinged at or toward the outer edge thereof to the sides, respectively, of said table, leaving the inner edges ot' said sections free to be lowered beneath the level ot the top of said table-sides, substantially as described.

3. In an operati11g-table,tl1e combination et vertically-adjustable top sections, a vertically-adjustable support for said sections, and means for raising and lowering said support, said top sections extending throughout the length of the table, and hinged, respectively, to the sides thereof, and said means raising and lowering said top sections evenly throughout the length thereof, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the adjustable top sections A A', the trame-work B, thc vertically-adj ustable support C, and the rock-shafts E E, said top sections being hinged, respectively, at the sides of the table, substantially as described.

The combination of the frame-work, the top sections adapted to form a depression extending longitudinally throughout the length of the table, the vertically-ad j ustable support C, the rock-shafts E E, the connecting-rod F, and the shaft G, provided with the arms r/ g2, substantially as described.

Vtlitness my hand this 3d day ot October, 1890.

JOSEPH ATKINSON.

XVitiiesses:

C. D. Moonv, A loNvILLE. 

